Heritage & History
- Emilie A. Cozzi (Acting)
- 1996-1998
Prior to becoming acting president of New York City Technical College in September 1996, Dr. Emilie A. Cozzi served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and had been a member of the College’s faculty and administration since 1969.
A forceful advocate for the role of technology in advancing learning, Cozzi expanded the use of educational technology in the classroom and supplemental instruction at the College. Other significant accomplishments included designing and incorporating a liberal arts and sciences core curriculum into the College’s associate and bachelor’s degree programs, increasing the number of baccalaureate programs, and establishing a comprehensive student advisement center.
Cozzi is perhaps best known for her contributions in the field of theatre. At the College in 1979, she founded the Theatreworks theatrical troupe, which pioneered the concept of interracial casting in college productions, an approach that has since become commonplace nationwide.
In addition to Theatreworks, she also served as an associate director of the Riverside Theatre & Workshop and resident director of the Orange County Cultural Center. She has directed numerous Equity and non-Equity productions in commercial, community, college and university theatres.
In recent years, Cozzi served on the executive boards of various professional and civic organizations, including the Brooklyn Public Library, the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, the NYNEX Consumer Advisory Board, the United States Institute for Theater Technology and the TriState Italian American Congress. She has been honored for her contributions to education and the arts by numerous organizations, including the American Red Cross, District Council 37 and the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Cozzi received her bachelor’s degree in speech and theater from Fordham University, and her master’s and PhD in the same area of study from New York University.
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